A former Syndicate member of Bangalore University is taken to police custody on accusations of criminal act involving Examination Malpractices. The accusations of a similar kind was there against him even before he became Syndicate member. Yet, he was nominated to the Syndicate by the Chancellor Sri. H R Bharadwaj although the University Act stipulates that the Chancellor's Nominee be from "eminent educationists, or persons from Commerce, Banking, Industry or other professions" ( 28.e ). The said member nominated did not belong even remotely to any of those category. This is one among the series of irregularity/illegality committed by this esteemed Chancellor in his tenure so far, some of which recounted already in my earlier blogs. Recently, a Vice Chancellor who was appointed by this Chancellor in spite of several accusation of criminality including plagiarism, even the same pending before the High Court, has now been made a member of the Search Committee to suggest panel of names for the appointment of Vice Chancellor of a University where a healthy convention is to nominate only the retired Vice Chancellors to Search Committee as the sitting Vice Chancellor would have connection with neighbouring universities by virtue of his office.The result is, as the news report reveals, the two among the panel recommended by the search committee involve persons with charges of plagiarism and other malpractices! Karnataka State has never seen such a depth of depravity in the highest office in Higher Education.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Glooms and Glitter of the Year that went by: A Personal Account
On the day of discharge after open heart bypass surgery ( CABG-1 graft/LAD ) done on 26 June 2013, at the age of 70, the Surgeon had assured me a ten more years of quality life and advised that I should be physically active. ( Those ten days of my sojourn in Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology is recounted in http://thimmappams.blogspot.in/2013/07/my-life-with-victory-gods-jayadeva.html ). I was put on nearly ten drugs every day as part of post operative regimen which eventually tapered down to four after seven months. In about five months after the Surgery I did feel a new kind of energy and stamina, started morning walk every day and was all eager to move out to my public interactions but for other health issue that cropped at this juncture.
Couple of years ago, the age related Prostrate Gland Enlargement was noticed but as it was hardly posing any problem, it was left as it is. Now, it started posing problems. A well known Nephro Urologist was consulted who after thorough investigation came to conclusion that it is benign ( BPH ), it is often a natural organic growth in advanced age, now worsened probably because of deposits of wastes of many cardiac drugs I have been taking and hence could be managed by an additional drug without recourse to surgery. The drug belongs to the category of Alpha Blockers which should not be combined with Monotrate ( mononitrate ) as there would be sudden drop in Blood Pressure if done. Monotrate was part of my cardiac post operative regimen. The Urologist did consult my Cardiologist on the drug I am taking and yet somehow cardiologist missed mentioning me taking Monotrate. On the same night I took the urology drug, on 27 October 2013, living alone at home, I fell down unconscious and woke up soon with a bleeding in the nose, I had hit my head against the wall. I got admitted to a nearby Nursing Home immediately, brain scan revealed a 'sub millimetre clot', that is no cause for worry. The unconsciousness and the fall is due to the sudden and abnormal drop in BP owing to the combination of alpha blockers with mononitrate. Soon, mononitrate was stopped as it was no more necessary now and I continued with alpha blocker for BPH with good result.
On 4th March 2014, in the early morning, I collapsed again with weakness, trembling and pain in the limbs and a sense of giddiness, no unconsciousness though. I rushed to the same Nursing Home nearby and after treatment for the same, it was discovered and diagnosed as fasting hypoglycaemia ( drop in sugar level when hungry ) and as I am not a diabetic and not on insulin, it is probably drug induced, prolonged use of cardiac and urological drugs. Treatment is to see that I do not get into state of hunger or react immediately with sugary intake when get into it! I had to stop my morning walk and exercises as according to National Library of Medicine under National Institutes of Health of the US Government, exercising under alpha blockers could induce hypoglycaemia!
I had not taken to allopathy for the last 35 years, all my ailments were treated by Alternative Medicine, principally with Homeopathy. ( My critique of allopathy may be seen:http://thimmappams.blogspot.in/2008/01/what-heals-and-ails-in-healing-system.html ). Blocking of cardiac artery forced me to consult allopathy and having undergone surgery, I had to follow their regimen of drugs which I did very promptly. In fact they even cautioned me that I should strictly go by drugs prescribed and not to take up any alternative medicine as they would interact adversely with the allopathic drugs. They even said, " Homeopathy drugs contains steroids and Ayurvedic drugs contain arsenic". Yet, the allopathic drugs have side effects, treatment for one ailment of a system will cause disturbances in other systems that you have to bear weighing the pros and cons. A necessary evil that has to be put up with!
I must acknowledge the great help rendered to me in such difficult times by my erstwhile student, Dr. (Mrs.) Gayathri Shabaraya Praveen, who is now in US with her husband and yet came down all the way from US for a month to take care of me during surgery days and on other crises stated above was taken care by her other members - two brothers and mother, Prof. Romate John of Central University of Karnataka at Gulbarga and my step brother Prof. M S Sridhara, ( LB College, Sagara ) who resides in Manchale, Sagara-Shimoga.
The main purpose of recounting all this here is to let know my friends, erstwhile students and colleagues what is ailing me whenever I have refused their request for a Function or Special Lectures or Public events. Some may even suspected that I am citing an excuse of health and am not interested with them any more. Meeting people in the University, Colleges, Public Affairs, Students and especially my erstwhile students is what I like most. I thought I owe it them all to let know why I decline their offer!
Couple of years ago, the age related Prostrate Gland Enlargement was noticed but as it was hardly posing any problem, it was left as it is. Now, it started posing problems. A well known Nephro Urologist was consulted who after thorough investigation came to conclusion that it is benign ( BPH ), it is often a natural organic growth in advanced age, now worsened probably because of deposits of wastes of many cardiac drugs I have been taking and hence could be managed by an additional drug without recourse to surgery. The drug belongs to the category of Alpha Blockers which should not be combined with Monotrate ( mononitrate ) as there would be sudden drop in Blood Pressure if done. Monotrate was part of my cardiac post operative regimen. The Urologist did consult my Cardiologist on the drug I am taking and yet somehow cardiologist missed mentioning me taking Monotrate. On the same night I took the urology drug, on 27 October 2013, living alone at home, I fell down unconscious and woke up soon with a bleeding in the nose, I had hit my head against the wall. I got admitted to a nearby Nursing Home immediately, brain scan revealed a 'sub millimetre clot', that is no cause for worry. The unconsciousness and the fall is due to the sudden and abnormal drop in BP owing to the combination of alpha blockers with mononitrate. Soon, mononitrate was stopped as it was no more necessary now and I continued with alpha blocker for BPH with good result.
On 4th March 2014, in the early morning, I collapsed again with weakness, trembling and pain in the limbs and a sense of giddiness, no unconsciousness though. I rushed to the same Nursing Home nearby and after treatment for the same, it was discovered and diagnosed as fasting hypoglycaemia ( drop in sugar level when hungry ) and as I am not a diabetic and not on insulin, it is probably drug induced, prolonged use of cardiac and urological drugs. Treatment is to see that I do not get into state of hunger or react immediately with sugary intake when get into it! I had to stop my morning walk and exercises as according to National Library of Medicine under National Institutes of Health of the US Government, exercising under alpha blockers could induce hypoglycaemia!
I had not taken to allopathy for the last 35 years, all my ailments were treated by Alternative Medicine, principally with Homeopathy. ( My critique of allopathy may be seen:http://thimmappams.blogspot.in/2008/01/what-heals-and-ails-in-healing-system.html ). Blocking of cardiac artery forced me to consult allopathy and having undergone surgery, I had to follow their regimen of drugs which I did very promptly. In fact they even cautioned me that I should strictly go by drugs prescribed and not to take up any alternative medicine as they would interact adversely with the allopathic drugs. They even said, " Homeopathy drugs contains steroids and Ayurvedic drugs contain arsenic". Yet, the allopathic drugs have side effects, treatment for one ailment of a system will cause disturbances in other systems that you have to bear weighing the pros and cons. A necessary evil that has to be put up with!
I must acknowledge the great help rendered to me in such difficult times by my erstwhile student, Dr. (Mrs.) Gayathri Shabaraya Praveen, who is now in US with her husband and yet came down all the way from US for a month to take care of me during surgery days and on other crises stated above was taken care by her other members - two brothers and mother, Prof. Romate John of Central University of Karnataka at Gulbarga and my step brother Prof. M S Sridhara, ( LB College, Sagara ) who resides in Manchale, Sagara-Shimoga.
The main purpose of recounting all this here is to let know my friends, erstwhile students and colleagues what is ailing me whenever I have refused their request for a Function or Special Lectures or Public events. Some may even suspected that I am citing an excuse of health and am not interested with them any more. Meeting people in the University, Colleges, Public Affairs, Students and especially my erstwhile students is what I like most. I thought I owe it them all to let know why I decline their offer!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
GOSSIP TESTING!
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute", Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I would like you to pass a little test. It is called the Triple Filter Test"
"Triple Filter?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you are going to say. That is why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No", the man said, actually I just heard about it and ...""
"All right", said Socrates. "So you do not really know if it is true or not, Now let us try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary".
"So", Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you are not certain it is true. You may still pass the test though, because there is one filter left: The Filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well", concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, or good, not even useful, why tell me about it at all?"
"Hold on a minute", Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I would like you to pass a little test. It is called the Triple Filter Test"
"Triple Filter?"
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you are going to say. That is why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No", the man said, actually I just heard about it and ...""
"All right", said Socrates. "So you do not really know if it is true or not, Now let us try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary".
"So", Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you are not certain it is true. You may still pass the test though, because there is one filter left: The Filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well", concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, or good, not even useful, why tell me about it at all?"
From Tattvaloka, April 2014, P.38.
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